Glass feeder



June 28, 1938. H M, BLACK 2,121,945

GLASS FEEDER Filed March 26, 1935 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 IUUUD llllllll l INVENTOR y2' Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR H. M. BLACK GLASS FEEDER Fired March 2s, 1935 `}une 28, 1938.

MM 6M imam/J Patented June 2s, 1931s` UNITED STATES GLASS FEEDER, Harold M. Black, Jeannette, Pa., assignor to McKee Glass Company, Jeannette, Pa., a corporation of Pcnnsylvanial Application Mai-cn ze, msasermiA No. 13,092 4 2 Claims. 'I'his invention relates to newvand useful improvements in apparatus and method for feedingcharges of molten glass to ware forming machines, Aand -it is among the objects thereof to vprovide apparatus especially adapted to regulate the weights and sizes of such mold segregates when produced by pneumatic types of feeders. In the use of pneumatic'feeders, it is common to employ a refractory tube or bell Jwhich is susa refractory plug, both of which are stationary,-

during the feeding operation and adjustable relative to a now spout orfeed orice for the purpose of obtaining greater flexibility in the regulation ofthe gobl sizes and shapes, such a device being particularly useful in gravity flow feeders, namely,-

where no positive pressure is applied toextrude the mold charges or gobs. YThe invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof in which like refervence characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1l is a vertical section longitudinally of a feeder boot and forehearth structure embodying the principles of this invention; Fig. 2 a vertical section of the feeding implement taken along the line 2 2, Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 a plan view of a clamping ring for holding' the refractory plug in adjusted position.

structure provided'with a roof or cover 2 having an exhaust stack 3, a fore-archv 4, a skimmer block 5, and a flow spout 6, the spout 6 being provided with a split cover 1 which also constitutes the burner block having burner ports'la. A refractory spout bushing 8 is'provided atthe open end at the bottom of the spout and an oriiice ring 9 is clamped thereto. An exhaust. stack I0 is provided above thearch 4 to withdraw the products of combustion from the chamberabove the glass in th flow 'spout 6. Disposed through the cover 'l and in alignment with the feed orifice is'a refractory sleeve or tube II which is more clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings and disposed centrally of the tube II is a refractory plunger.l2. Both the tube I I and the plunger I2 are adjustably mounted relative to the bushing 8 in the following manner.

In accordance with the present invention, such With reference to Fig. l of the drawings, the-y numeral I generally designates a forehearth Tube II is provided with a flange I3 which is secured to a bracket I4 by bolts I5, the bracket being vertically adjustable, an asbestos packing ring I6 beingA disposed between the tube and bracket to form a sealed joint. The tube II is adjustably mountedv on a supporting bracketv I4 and an asbestos ring I8 contractible by a clamping ring Il shown in Fig. 3 hermetically'seals the inner chamber of tube II Plug I2 is solid at the bottom portion and is provided with an air passage l! at the top thereof, passage I 9 terminatingrin afslotted opening 20 to communicate with the interiorof the sleeve or Atube I I. The plug I2 is secured to a. bracket 2l b`y clamp bolts 22 and 23 and a conduit 24 is threaded to a flange 25. A packing ring 26 of asbestos is disposed between the ring 25 and top of the plug I2 to pro'vlde a sealedljoint. The conduit 24 is connected to a valve mechanism 25a, Fig. 1, which is adapted to establish communication with a source of vacuum connected by a pipe line 26a.l Bracket 2|, supporting the plug I2, is adjustable by a hand wheel 21 through bevel gears 28 and a screw and nut mechansm 29, and bracket I4 and supporting tube I I, may be adjusted by similar mechanism.

'I'he operation of the above described mechanism is briey as follows: With the forehearth I filled with -a pool of molten glass, the level of which is designated by the numeral Ia, and which -is maintained by communication of the foreheartl with a melting chamber (not shown) the glass will fill the lower portion of tube IIv below the slotted opening 20 of the p lug I2. By adjusting the height of the tube Il relative to the spout bushing 8, the flow of glass between the lowerv extremity of the tube I I and the top of the spout bushing 8 is regulable, and by adjustment of the `plug I2 relative to the feed orifice, the amount of glass flowing out of the orice is regulable. The glass is permitted to flow by gravity from the feed orifice and is interrupted by the application of vacuum through the line 24 as controlled by the valve mechanism 25a.

When vacuum is applied, the space or chamber within the tube I.I is rarefled and a suction impulse is applied to the glass within the tube and above the feed orifice. At the same time, the glass suspended from the orice ring 9 is severed and the stub is drawn into the orifice of the ring*l 9 and spout bushing 8. When the vacuum is subsequently released through valve mechanism 25a, the glass again ows by gravity out of the feed orice. When the vacuum is applied, glass is drawn through the passage formed by the lower end of tube II and the top of spout bushing l so that by adjusting the tube I I relative to the bushing 8, a given head of glass can be established within the tube II and this head, in turn, Will determine the volume ofglass flowing from the feed orifice during the intervals between successive applications of the vacuum.

In addition to this mode of regulating the quantity of glass flow from the feed orifice, the plug I2 may be adjusted by releasing clamp I1 which loosens the packing I8 from around the plug I2 and permits vertical adjustment through the wheel 21. By means of the adjustments of the tube and plug l I and I2, respectively, all variable conditions of glass viscosity. which is largely a matter of its thermal condition, can be provided for to maintain continuous operation of the feeder and weight and size of the mold charge. The temperature of the glass in the flow spout is regulated by burners extending through the burner 4ports la of the splitcover 1, and by operating dampers on stacks'3 and I 0, the application of the burner flame to the front or back of the spout chamber can be regulated.

Valve mechanism 25a controlling the intermittent application of vacuum to the glass is operated in synchronism with the movements of the ware forming machine that carries the molds for receiving the feed charges or gobs from beneath the feeding orifice, this timing mechanism being of conventional form and constitutes no part of the present invention.

While theapparatus has been described as particularly adapted for use where no positive pressure impulses are applied to the glass, it is apparent that the relative adjustable sleeve and plug may be employed on pneumatic feeders utilizing negative and positive impulses.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various moditlcations may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim: l. Apparatus for feeding segregated mold charges from a source of molten glass comprising a feed chamber having a feed orifice, a refractory sleeve submerged in the glass above the feed oriilce and being adjustable relativel to the walls of the chamber to 'form a regulable flow passage and a refractory plungerextending through and beyond said sleeve into the feed chamber to control-the rate of flow of glass from said feed orifice, said plunger being solid at its lower portion and hollow at the top thereof, the hollow portion communicating through an opening of the plug with the space between the plunger and sleeve member and a source of negative pressure communieating with the hollow portion of the plug to determine the amount of head pressure effective on the glass in said feed orice.

2. Apparatus for feeding segregated mold charges from a pool of molten glass comprising a feed chamber having a submerged feeding orice, al refractory sleeve in alignment with said feed orifice, and a refractory plug within said sleeve extending below the end thereof in register with said feed orice to control the flow of glass through said orifice, a bracket for supporting said sleeve and a packing material for hermetically sealing the bracket and the top of the sleeve, said bracket being adjustable vertically, a packing gland interposed between the refractory plug and sleeve bracket to permit independent vertical adjustment of said plug, said plug being solid at the lower end thereof, and hollow at the top, and having an opening communicating with the inner chamber of said sleeve and said hollow portion of the plug being further communicative with a source of vacuum whereby the quantity of. glass in the refractory sleeve is regulated to control the head pressure of the glass above the feed orifice.

HAROLD M. BLACK. 

